THE KID (U)
London Childrens Film Festival 2006: Teachers Resource
The Kid (u)
http://chaplin.bfi.org.uk/resources/bfi/filmog/film_thumb.php?fid=59427&resource=Stills
Introduction
One of Charlie Chaplins best-known films, The Kid is inspired by
Charlie Chaplins own life growing up in London. Made in 1921, this
was the first full-length feature film Charlie Chaplin produced,
and it made him famous.
Watching The Kid, children can discover how story and character
can be conveyed without dialogue. It offers an opportunity to
explore topics and activities such as other times, music, comedy,
mime and drama, poverty and different family units with your
class.
Synopsis
A poor woman, Edna, can't take care of her baby and seeing a big
car parked outside a mansion, she puts her new baby into the car
with a note asking the owners to look after the child. But the car
is driven off by gangsters, who find the baby and leave it in an
alleyway a garbage can. Charlie the Tramp finds the baby and the
note and decides to take care of him.
Five years later, we see that Charlie is like a father to the
Kid and they have grown to love each other. Together they get up to
lots of tricks and find ways to make some money to live. During
those 5 years however, Edna has become has become a rich and famous
opera star. She meets the Kid again when he is taken ill, and it is
discovered that Charlie is not his real father.
What will happen to the Kid? Will he ever see Charlie again, or
find out about his real mother?Audiences
The Kid is suitable for KS2 pupils, with curriculum links to
Literacy, History and Music.Curriculum Links and Suggested
Classroom Activities
Literacy / Drama
Try planning your own storyboarded scenes and then acting them
out in mime. You could even have a go at filming them.
History
Charlie Chaplin was born in London in 1889 in a poor family.
Find out about what London was like then. What kind of jobs did
people do? What happened if people didnt have a job?
Like many other Europeans, Charlie Chaplin went to America to
seek his fortune. Look at documentary sources and books about
emigration to America.
The film was shot in America in 1921. How do we see people
living in the film? What clothes do they wear and what jobs do they
do? What is different and what is the same as life now?
Music
Watch silent films with the volume turned down, then try
watching the films with the soundtrack. What difference does the
music make to the story, the characters and the atmosphere of the
film?
Compose your own version of the soundtrack to The Kid or another
silent film.
Weblinks
The BFI Charlie Chaplin website
http://chaplin.bfi.org.uk/The Kid page on the BFI Chaplin
website
http://chaplin.bfi.org.uk/resources/bfi/filmog/film.php?fid=59427Follow
Charlies footsteps across the globe with Google Earth:
http://chaplin.bfi.org.uk/world/Films relevant to curriculum
subjects, with clips to view online or download, including silent
films. Free access for teachers:
http://www.screenonline.org.uk/education/subject_list.htmlInformation
on Charlie Chaplin, his films and his life:
http://www.charliechaplin.com/Clips from the film:
http://www.archive.org/details/TheKidWe suggest that teachers
and parents check the suitability of recommended books, films and
other media for the children in their care before use. London
Childrens Film Festival cannot be responsible for the content of
any recommended media, including websites.
Film Details
Country
USA, 1921Director
Charles Chaplin
Running time
68 min Language
English
Barbican Education 2006
